Always A Price
by restivesilence
Summary: A short scene set at the beach house in which Haruhi asks Kyoya for a favor. Slight Kyoya/Haruhi.


**AN: **This scene is has been sitting on my computer for quite a while. I finally gave up on making it into a full-fledged story and decided to post. It is the beginning of a Haruhi/Kyoya romance. Hope you enjoy. -restivesilence

* * *

"Come in."

Haruhi slowly opened the door, slid in the room and gently closed it again. Her gaze landed on Kyoya, _his _gaze glued to a laptop screen. She watched him type for a moment observing his calm and controlled demeanor. Briefly, she wondered if he ever felt stressed and overwhelmed.

"Did you require something?"

She glanced up quickly, getting a brief glimpse of his eyes before his glasses were pushed up. "Kyoya-senpai… If Tamaki or the twins are looking for me, will you please tell them that I'm in Honey's room studying?"

"Why would I do that" The light glinted on his glasses as he titled his head towards her.

Her body stiffened in anger, but she had expected this, it was the Shadow King after all. He did nothing unless there was some sort of merit to it.

"I..." She let her head fall back against the door with a soft thump, her eyes closed for a moment and thought. "I really need to study and they won't bother me if they believe Honey is sleeping."

When she opened her eyes again, he was still gazing at her with an undeterminable look. In her mind she wondered if he was noticing the circles below her eyes, or the way her hand quivered slightly as she brought it up to rub her head.

"If I were to do this favor for you, I would have to deal with Tamaki's idiocy and perhaps the twins as well."

"Look, add onto my debt if you want. I just need to… I just need… never mind." Haruhi swung around so her back was to him, she did not need him to see the tears of frustration that pricked at the back of her eyes. "It's not like you'll ever let me pay it off anyway." She muttered bitterly.

If she had been looking at him, she would have seen an expression of surprise flicker across his face.

"I will not add more to your debt…" Her hand tightened painfully on the door knob. "However, I will hold you to a similar favor in return. If I need some distraction from them, you _will_ help. Is that satisfactory Haruhi?"

"Yes. Thank you, Kyoya-senpai." She pulled open the door and left without another glance back.

* * *

It was four in the morning when Kyoya closed his computer and finally thought about going to sleep. He knew that he'd regret the late hour when Tamaki came to wake him, but he had made important progress on his work. In fact, he might just call in Haruhi's favor.

Kyoya felt no guilt at opening Haruhi's door without knocking, after all it was _his_ beach house. However, when he looked in he realized that she was not even in the room and had never slept in the bed. A little unsure, he made his way to Honey's room and softly opened that door.

On the bed Honey was curled against Haruhi with his head resting just below her breast, Haruhi's right arm was clenched around a book and both of their chests rose softly in the pattern of sleep. He suspected that Mori had already been by, as a blanket was gently draped over the two sleeping hosts and Bun-Bun was tucked between their two bodies.

The thought of Tamaki waking Kyoya up after seeing **this**, was a plain nightmare. He could only imagine the crying, the whining and of course the pouting that was sure to occur. Undoubtedly, it would all happen at an outrageously early hour. Sometimes he really wondered why he put up with the Host Club.

Upon further analysis, it seemed there was only one option. He pushed up his glasses and gently shook the small host. Honey's eyes immediately flew open and Kyoya took a quick step back. (Self-preservation should always come first). Honey shot the other boy a hostile glare. The Shadow King gazed back steadily. After a moment of this, Kyoya looked pointedly at Haruhi and Bun-Bun.

"I am taking Haruhi to her own room."

Honey's face softened upon seeing Bun-Bun. He snatched up the stuffed rabbit and then obediently rolled over, taking the blanket with him. In seconds, he was asleep again. Carefully, Kyoya detached the book from Haruhi's hand and set it aside for later. Without much effort, he picked her up and quietly made his way out of the room.

Surprisingly, he found it easy to hold her in his arms.

As Shadow King, Kyoya knew every host's height and weight. It was his job after all to be so knowledgeable. However, he had never really thought of Haruhi as being _small, _until this moment_._

And in body, Haruhi was small and weak.

So, how did she survive a group of such overly energized boys?

She could not fight like Honey. She was not big like Mori. She was not crazy like Tamaki. She did not have a sibling to protect her like the twins. Haruhi really was such an interesting contradiction.

An interesting contradiction that now owed him two favors.


End file.
